Christmas Braided Wreath – a tutorial

The most wonderful season of the year is almost here! With all the snow I am seeing on Instagram and on the news it is starting to feel a lot like Christmas… Is your home already dressed up to the occasion – Christmas tree & all? Or are you (just like me) dying to being brave to resist the urge to fill every single inch of your home with Christmas decorations? This is my favorite season so I am always excited with everything that surrounds it. Including presents, of course. I am actually worse than my kids…

Around here, on this small european corner, the tradition is to put up the Christmas tree up sometime between Dec. 1st and the 8th. Nowadays with the consumerism appeal all over the place some people are giving in and started to put up the Xmas tree as soon as the first week of November. How is it there where you live? Is there any specific date or tradition your family follows?

The truth is, the Christmas tree is the central piece but the decor is so much more than that, right? What is your favorite Xmas decor piece? For me I think it is Christmas wreaths. I love them in all styles: all natural, crafty, knitted or crocheted, made with felt, even made of scrapbook paper! So today I am sharing with you a tutorial on how to make a braided fabric wreath! It is a fun and easy project with a lovely result.

You will need

Three strips of fabric with a (different) Christmas print or solid color of your choice, with 9” x 57” (Note: This was the width of fabric (WOF) for the fabric I used here. I wouldn’t recommend going with a lot less width than that.)

Fiber fill for stuffing (about 16-18 oz.)

Sewing machine, matching thread, scissors, needle, safety pins

How to make it

1. Cut three strips of fabric with 6” x 57” (this was the WOF for this cotton).

2. Fold the strip along the long edge, right sides together (RST). Sew one short end and the long edges with a 1/4” seam allowance (SA). You now have a tube. Cut the corner and snip along the long edge.

3. Turn inside out. Stuff the tubes with fiber fill. Make sure to leave about 2 inches on each end without filling (to reduce bulking when joining all edges together.)

Tip #1: Use a long stick (like a broom stick) to help you with this.

Tip #2: Be generous with the fiber fill but do not pack it full. It should be a bit stiff and not too fluffy.

Tip #3: Join all three ends together with a safety-pin and braid halfway to check the stuffing. If you think it is too stiff or too fluffy correct it by either taking off a bit of fiber or adding a bit more.

4. Fold the fabric of the open short ends to the inside, about 1/2 inch. Stitch (to close the openings).

Pin the short end of all three tubes together and stitch. (Note: I was able to do it with the sewing machine but if you find it too hard – because of the bulkiness – you can do it by hand).

5. Braid the stuffed tubes together (note: make sure you make it tight). Secure the three ends together with safety-pins.

6. Shape the braid into a circle. Adjust the tubes so the seams won’t be visible on one side (the right side).

Hand stitch both ends together closing off the braid into a circle.

7. (Optional step) Although the place where you stitched both ends together will be hidden with a bow, personally I prefer to hide it first with a small fabric strap.

Choose a coordinate fabric and cut two rectangles of about 3” x 11”. Join RST and stitch all around, with a 1/4” SA, leaving a small gap to turn right side out (RSO).

Clip corners and turn RSO. Press.

Place it around the wreath – hiding the stitching line – and stitch both ends together as close to the wreath as you can, with a zig zag stitch. Pull the round strap to the back so the stitching (on the strap) won’t be visible from the right side.

8. Make a bow:

Grab two fabric strips of about 3” x 57” (this was my WOF). Note: If you want your bow to have bigger straps then cut four strips and join them in two.

Place them RST and stitch all around with a 1/4” SA, leaving a small gap (about 2 inches) at the middle of one of the long edges for turning RSO. Tip: Stitch the small edges as an angle to give a cute look to your bow edges.

Clip corners and turn RSO. Press.

Hand stitch or machine stitch the open end closed.

Decide if you want the bow to be placed at the bottom or at the top of the wreath. Place the strap around the wreath and tie it to make a lovely bow. (Note: if you have made the optional strap above, place the bow on top of the strap).

9. Add a few embellishments if you wish. Tip: You can add an ornament to the center or hang it from the bottom.

You are done! Hang your lovely new Christmas wreath and admire your work.

Please let us know if you make a braided wreath based on this tutorial. We would love to see it!

If you have any questions please email me at mail (dot) sarahandmade (at) gmail (dot) com. I will be more than happy to get in touch!

Reader Interactions

Comments

I made a wreath supporting our favorite football team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. I doubled the size of the wreath. I left 2 openings along the side seams of the tubes to make stuffing them much easier. I hand stitched the seams to close them up. I don’t see how to upload a photo of it. I can email it to you separately. It turned out great!

This is a lovely seasonal project, and a quick and easy one. Thank you so much for sharing it. I have almost finished making this wreath as I write – just got the bow to do – and it’s looking good. Here in the UK many people start to decorate their homes on the 1st December, though of course the stores are decorated a LOT earlier. It’s only September and Christmas cards are already appearing in the shops! It’s traditional here to leave decorations up until ’12th Night’ ( 6th January), though I have been known to take ours down on New Years Eve. It has always seemed a little odd to me to start a fresh new year with last years decorations everywhere! But I’m sure I’ll be loathed to pack away your lovely wreath this year. Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season.

I love the idea and your tutorial is nice and easy to understand. Except for one thing. In the section of needed materials, you state not to go less than 9″ wide but in the directions, you say to cut 6″ wide. I’m confused as to which to follow?

You will need 6” wide strips for the braid and the remaining 3” are for the bow, so that makes 9” total. 😉 Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with. Have a great Holiday season!

I’m Dutch and we always tried to be polite enough to at least wait ’till St. Nick’s holiday was over (5th in the Netherlands, 6th in Belgium. So usually the weekend after I put up my tree. Or try to. Last year we planned to spend Christmas abroad, so I put up my tree a little early.

I live in Hungary now they also know of Nick (6th), but here it’s a habit that “Jezuska” brings the tree on Christmas eve or Christmas morning, I’m not sure. I’ll never be able to wait that long, the tree it my main point of light during December, I secretly miss it a lot in January.

Also, on the holiday of the 3 kings, we usually throw out the tree, January 6. We is my Dutch side by the way, after that it’s just weird to still have a tree in the house. Opposite to some Hungarian friends, who choose to keep it ’till the end of January (“it was expensive enough!”)

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